In general, content distributors transmit audio, images, or text, (e.g., content) to end users or receivers using a variety of distribution models. Conventional models of distribution have particular cost components associated with the content transmission to a given audience.
One conventional mechanism or mode for content distribution involves broadcast transmission. In broadcast transmission, such as radio or satellite broadcast, a content source transmits content to many receivers (one-to-many). Typically, the facilities for broadcasting audio content are fairly large, complex, and capital intensive, even for low-power FM broadcasting. The total bandwidth available to a broadcaster using broadcast transmission is limited. Broadcast transmission, however, reaches all receivers equally such that adding an audience within a broadcast area does not create any additional costs for the broadcaster (e.g., the broadcaster does not have to develop additional broadcasting facilities). Therefore, broadcast distribution of content typically includes a low marginal cost (e.g., no additional cost with respect to reaching additional receivers in an audience) and an associated a high fixed cost (e.g., initial development of broadcast facilities).
Another conventional mechanism or mode for content distribution involves multicast transmission. In multicast transmission, such as IP multicast or application-level multicast, a content source transmits content to many receivers (e.g., one-to-many). Compared to broadcast transmission, multicast transmission is not limited by an allocated bandwidth and does not have the same high fixed cost associated with broadcast distribution of content. However, any given multicast consumes multicast addresses and router resources and, for multiple receivers, can load network resources.
Another conventional mechanism or mode for content distribution involves unicast transmission. In unicast transmission, such as digital streaming over a computer or information network (e.g., the Internet), a single content source transmits content to a single receiver. In general, unicast transmission is effective on a small scale because the associated transmission and reception tools, such as client computers, software, and network connection costs, have relatively low costs. The total bandwidth available to unicast transmission is virtually unlimited. The cost associated with unicast transmission, however, involves the addition of new listeners or receivers of content to the network. Adding listeners to a unicast or digital streaming media transmission requires additional streams of data (e.g., bandwidth), and corresponding additional costs and resources for installing and maintaining the additional streams. Therefore, unicast distribution of content involves a low fixed cost (e.g., cost of computers and connection) and an associated high marginal cost (adding content receivers to receive transmission).
Certain conventional networks, such as the Internet allow distribution of both broadcast or multicast transmissions (one-to-many) and unicast transmissions (one-to-one). For a user to receive content in either a one-to-many or a one-to-one transmission mode, the user must monitor the transmission mode of the incoming content. Furthermore, when informed of a transition between transmission modes, the user must, conventionally, manually select a receiver (e.g., computer program application) to receive content in a particular transmission mode (e.g., either one-to-one or one-to-many).